Chit Su Yee in action before the event.

THE Myanmar National Open Tennis Championships 2008 will be held from January 20-24 at the Thein Phyu tennis courts in downtown Yangon.

The defending champion is Myanmar’s No. 1 men’s tennis player, L Tu Maw, who also took the title in 2006. Sadly for fans though, L Tu Maw will not be appearing at the tournament. And neither will the second-highest ranked domestic player, Nge Naung.

“Both of these players went abroad last year to work and will be away for four or five years,” says U Lay Naing, the secretary of Myanmar Tennis Federation.

However, the absence of the two top men’s players throws open the floor to a host of other potential winners, he says.

“There should be about 40 men’s players in the tournament and another 25 in the women’s draw.

“We still haven’t fixed the price money but the amount will not be less than last year’s winnings, which were K50,000,” he says.

U Lay Naing predicts that Phyo Min Thar, Khin Maung Win and Min Min are the players to watch.

“Phyo Min Thar is a talented player and is only 17-years-old. Even if he doesn’t win this event he has promising future ahead of him,” he says.

But U Lay Naing says Khin Maung Win – champ in 2004 – and Min Min are certainly able to upset the apple cart.

“If Phyo Min Thar becomes champion this year, it won’t be astonishing because trains a lot and is young and fit. But at 34-years-old and a former winner, Khin Maung Win has plenty of experience – he even won here in 2004. Phyo Min Thar will need to put in a huge effort to win,” he says.

For the young challenger, the tournament looms as an exciting event.

“I think this is a great chance for me because the tournament will be without the top two guns but it should be interesting to play against Ko Khin Maung Win at this big tournament,” he said.

In the women’s tournament, the defending champion is No. 1 Chit Su Yee, who won the event in 2006 and 2007. She says she’s ready to take a third title as well.

“I’m confident that I can clinch the title for a third consecutive time and will be striving to lift that cup again,” says 22-year-old Chit Su Yee.